Powerlifting and Water Polo Bring a Busy Month of Sunshine State Games Events to a Close
The Sunshine State Games Water Polo and Powerlifting Championships round out a busy month of June.
When competition begins Friday morning at the Rosen Aquatic Center, in Orlando, Water Polo becomes the 12th sport contested during the traditional Sunshine State Games month of June.
Since the 44th Annual Sunshine State Games began in April, over 5,000 of Florida’s Finest Amateur Athletes have participated in Sunshine State Games events.
The Water Polo Championships features 57 teams playing in eight divisions from 12 and under divisions to the Open Divisions, featuring athletes 18 and over.
Competition begins on Friday morning with the first game in the water at 8:40 a.m. The final game begins on Sunday at 4:10 p.m. A total of 121 games will be played during the duration of the SSG Water Polo Championships.
Playing close to home, the Orlando Thunder has six teams in the water at the Rosen Aquatic Center. All of the Thunder teams are playing in the boy’s and girl’s youth divisions, between the 12 and under and 18 and under age groups. The Thunder teams training at the National Training Center, in Clermont.
The Miami Whitecaps have five teams competing this weekend, in the 12 and Under and 14 and Under Coed, 18 and Under Girls, 18 and Under Boys and Men’s Open Divisions. The Whitecaps were gold medalists in the Boys 16 and Under and Men’s Open Divisions in 2022.
Besides teams from Central Florida, South Florida and the Tampa Bay area, this year’s championships feature teams from Atlanta, GA, Greensboro, NC, and Puerto Rico.
“The Sunshine State Games is a premier event of the year for Water Polo in Florida,” said Anna Rosen, the SSG Water Polo Sport Director.
Since the 2022 Championships, Rosen has created Breach Aquatics, based in South Broward County, along with Josh Needleman. Breach Aquatics will have four teams playing in the Boy’s and Girl’s 18 and Under Divisions and the Men’s and Women’s Open Divisions.
“We’re trying to breach a gap in the Water Polo community to make more opportunities for more people to play Water Polo,” Rosen said. “There was a need for opportunities in South Broward County since there was nothing available between Pompano Beach and Miami.”
Breach Aquatics trains at Plantation Central Park and South Broward High School with approximately 60 Water Polo players.
There is NO SPECTATOR FEE for the Sunshine State Games Water Polo Championships tournament. CLICK HERE for the Complete Schedule of Games for the weekend.
Also rounding out the month of June competitions is Powerlifting, held at Lift District Fitness, in Margate, with 44 athletes, ranging in ages from 14%2B to 70%2B divisions.
Lifting will be held in two flights, the first beginning at 9:00 a.m. and the second beginning at 2:00 p.m.
Among the athletes registered to compete is Dr. Damian Fronzaglia, a doctor of chiropractic from Margate, has been a competitor and coach on multiple U.S. Powerlifting World Teams. With nearly 40 years of lifting experience, Dr. Fronzaglia has amassed three World Championships and 13 world records. He is looking to qualify for the National Bench Press Championships, to be held in Austin, Texas, in January 2024, according to the Powerlifting Sport Director, Robert Keller.
SSG Schedule of Events – June 23-25, 2023
Friday, June 23
8:40 a.m.: Water Polo Competition Begins, Rosen Aquatic Center, Orlando
7:30 p.m.: Last Scheduled Water Polo game
Saturday, June 24
7:00 a.m.: Water Polo Competition Begins, Rosen Aquatic Center, Orlando
9:00 a.m.: Powerlifting Flight 1 Begins, Lift District Fitness, Margate
2:00 p.m.: Powerlifting Flight 2 Begins, Lift District Fitness, Margate
8:20 p.m.: Last Scheduled Water Polo game
Sunday, June 25
7:00 a.m.: Water Polo Competition Begins, Rosen Aquatic Center, Orlando
4:10 p.m.: Last Scheduled Water Polo game
The Sunshine State Games is an annual Olympic-style Sports Festival for amateur athletes of all ages. Now in its 44th year, dating back to 1980, the Sunshine State Games is the longest continuously-running State Games in the U.S. The 2023 Sunshine State Game is held in conjunction with the Gainesville Sports Commission, Central Florida’s Polk County Sports Marketing, Visit Lauderdale, Punta Gorda/Englewood Beach Visitor & Convention Bureau (VCB) and Earl Enterprises.